July 4th is just around the corner. People are gearing up to ring in the 250th birthday of the United States of America with fireworks and fanfare.
Officials urge anyone planning to celebrate with a few drinks to factor in how they’ll get home.
“It doesn't take that long to crash a car,” said Mary Ann Rayment, the public relations coordinator at the nonprofit Drive Safe Hampton Roads. “I've met far too many people that have lost a family member for a drunk driver, and that is a completely preventable crash.”
While it’s best to designate a sober driver ahead of time, that doesn’t always pan out, Rayment said. The 757 Sober Ride Program gives people another option if they’re impaired from alcohol or another substance, such as cannabis.
The program runs only during holidays when drinking is popular, such as St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, July 4th and New Years Eve.
For Independence Day weekend, the program will operate July 3-6 from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. People can request a ride anywhere in Hampton Roads at 757SoberRide.com. The rides are provided through Lyft and are free up to $15.
In Hampton Roads, alcohol-related crashes caused an average of 56 deaths a year and more than 1,000 injuries from 2020 to 2025, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
Alcohol impairs judgment. Even the most cautious of drivers may swerve; go too slow or too fast; be more reckless and be less aware after drinking.
It can be difficult for people to recognize their limit, but getting it wrong puts lives at risk, Rayment said.
“If you start to feel a little tipsy, you're probably there,” she said. “If you feel it, you probably are it.”
The 757 Sober Ride Program has provided more than 5,500 rides since it started 2022. It costs between $25,000 and $30,000 every year, depending on how many rides people take, Rayment said.
Funding for the program comes from the DMV Highway Safety Office and highway safety grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Local law firm Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law and other private donors also contribute.
This year, the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association is partnering with Drive Safe Hampton Roads to get the word out to patrons. Restaurants around Virginia Beach will have posters and coasters with the program’s information to encourage people to take advantage of the service, said Debbie Lou Hague, the association’s president.
“We all need to work together to bring fun to Virginia Beach, but we also need to bring safety to Virginia Beach,” Hague said. “This is one way of making our roads safer, and if we can do that, that's a great thing.”
